Allan Haan’s Honour As Manotick Messenger Person Of The Year Well-Deserved
By Goldie Ghamari, Carleton MPP
Happy New Year to everyone in Manotick, Richmond, North Gower and the surrounding communities and rural areas in South Carleton! We know that some challenges are behind us while others are approaching, but I am sincerely hoping everyone has a prosperous and happy 2023!
I would like to start off by saying congratulations to a person I consider both a friend and a leader in the community. Allan Haan was named the 2022 Manotick Messenger Person of the Year, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving. Allan is a person who leads by example in the community and has been involved in a number of community projects and initiatives. To say the honour from the Messenger is well-deserved is a big understatement.
Pharmacies Now A One-Stop Shop For 13 Common Ailments
Ontario is making it more convenient for people to connect to care closer to home by launching pharmacist prescribing for some of the most common medical ailments.
As of January 1, 2023, Ontarians are now able to stop in at pharmacies across the province to receive prescriptions for thirteen common ailments, including rashes, pink eye, insect bites and urinary tract infections with just their health card. This service makes it more convenient to access care by removing a doctor’s office visit and will come at no extra cost to Ontarians.
Stopping by your local pharmacy for quick and easy access to treatment for some of your most common ailments increases your access to the care you need closer to home. Expanding the ability of pharmacists to provide care is making it easier, faster and more convenient to access health care in their community.
Pharmacists will be able to offer prescriptions for:
- hay fever (allergic rhinitis);
- oral thrush (candidal stomatitis);
- pink eye (conjunctivitis; bacterial, allergic and viral);
- dermatitis (atopic, eczema, allergic and contact);
- menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea);
- acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD));
- hemorrhoids;
- cold sores (herpes labialis);
- impetigo;
- insect bites and hives;
- tick bites (post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent Lyme disease);
- sprains and strains (musculoskeletal); and
- urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Allowing pharmacists to prescribe for these common ailments will make it more convenient for Ontarians to receive the care they need, while offering patients more convenient choices for how they access and receive health care. With a large, provincewide footprint, pharmacist prescribing will help to increase access to care in rural parts of Ontario.
In addition to providing more convenience, pharmacy prescribing will also help free-up doctors’ bandwidth to provide care for more complex needs, helping to reduce wait times for these services.
Quick Facts
- A common ailment is a health condition that can be reliably self-diagnosed and managed with self-care strategies and/or minimal treatment.
- Anyone with symptoms should contact their local pharmacist to confirm whether they provide prescribing services for certain common ailments before visiting the pharmacy.
- This change builds on pharmacists’ current knowledge, skills and judgement to recommend over-the-counter medications and allows physicians to focus on the more complex health care needs of their patients.
- These changes are being made in partnership with the Ontario College of Pharmacists.
Ontarians can now also visit local pharmacies for Paxlovid prescriptions. Visit ontario.ca/antivirals for more information on eligibility and to find local pharmacies that are dispensing Paxlovid.
Office Notice:
My office is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. If you require assistance on any matter, please contact me at any time. My staff and I will be happy to assist. Even if it’s not a provincial issue, I’ll make sure to connect you with the proper office.
– Goldie
Your voice at Queen’s Park
